Pseudotooth by Verity Holloway

Verity Holloway’s poetic eye is superlative in conjuring up sharp images; it is as if you can feel the splinters in Aisling’s fingers and the sharp detritus under her bare feet. With its gorgeous Gothic cover and in the way the narrative evokes a sense of place while dancing along the line of dreams and reality. Verity Holloway is a writer to watchStarburst, 9/10 review

‘The malaise continues. Today, I begin a rigorous programme of exercise to cleanse body and soul.’

Aisling Selkirk is a young woman beset by unexplained blackouts, pseudo-seizures that have baffled both the doctors and her family. Sent to recuperate in the Suffolk countryside with ageing relatives, she seeks solace in the work of William Blake and writing her journal, filling its pages with her visions of Feodor, a fiery East Londoner haunted by his family’s history back in Russia.

But her blackouts persist as she discovers a Tudor priest hole and papers from its disturbed former inhabitant Soon after, she meets the enigmatic Chase, and is drawn to an unfamiliar town where the rule of Our Friend is absolute and those deemed unfit and undesirable disappear into The Quiet…

Blurring the lines between dream, fiction and reality, Pseudotooth boldly tackles issues of trauma, social difference and our conflicting desires for purity and acceptance, asking questions about those who society shuns, and why.

About Verity

Verity Holloway was born in Gibraltar in 1986, and grew up following her Navy family around the world. She graduated from Cambridge’s Anglia Ruskin University with a First Class BA in Literature and Creative Writing and went on to earn a Distinction Masters in Literature.

Further Reading

Reviews

Dizzyingly imaginative... Its scope is ambitious, with multiple interlinked plot strands and a vividly-drawn cast of characters shaped in part by their respective pasts. Pseudotoothis one of the most original and immersive novels I've read in a long time.– Breakfast at Libraries

Holloway’s writing is sure and inventive; her language choices interesting yet clear. I really appreciated that Holloway remained true to the traumas and consequences in Aisling’s life, and that she didn’t give in to the easy fixes. As a reader, I was wholly in tune with Aisling’s character.– Andromeda Spaceways Magazine

This is a brilliant debut and I'd love to see more books from Verity Holloway.– S.J. Budd

A wonderful story. A plot that will have you racing along. You’ll be surprised when you realise that this book was written by a debut novelist.– Whispering Stories

It left me extremely thoughtful about the worlds we live in and the ones we create in our mind, the worlds of the past and those of the present, and which one may be the most accurate representation of human life, if any. The writing was at times brutal, at others extremely beautiful, and I hope we get to see more from Verity Holloway in the future.– Butterfly Elephant

It was a bit difficult for me to believe that this novel is the work of a debut novelist, because the story flowed effortlessly, the characterisation was excellent and the author dared to explore challenging themes. A deeply compelling and beautifully written novel that readers of literary speculative fiction can't afford to miss.– Rising Shadow

I thought it was perfect. Not only is there a well-delivered, well-paced story, there are interesting ideas peppered throughout the text that are guaranteed to make you think. If you are looking for something a bit more cerebral than your normal fantasy fiction, then you need look no further.– The Eloquent Page

It reminded me a lot of some of Michael Cisco’s writing particularly in Celebrant and Animal Money. The themes of trauma and how it can impact a person’s life and the myriad ways in which victimhood is refuted or the ways in which people seek denial keep recurring throughout the story. [Holloway's] writing always clear is nevertheless unusual especially in terms of descriptions that can be at times subtle and at times direct. There are paragraphs which are exquisite in their structure. A very enjoyable read.– Former People

[Pseudotooth] is rooted in a sense of lived experience. From the overarching, elemental images of fire and water to the size and weight of the tooth as it accrues mass and grisly residue, there is a constant tension between a very English rawness and the esoteric vulnerability of the protagonist. Unique, clever and with a kind of patient compulsion, the novel has a distinctive voice that finds beauty in despair.– Andrew Wallace

Pseudotooth had me from its first sentence. It’s one of those that in a few words tell a lot about the novel to follow... [which] is gorgeously written. Pseudotooth is less about mental or psychosomatic illnesses than about how people define and categorise the people who have them. It’s a book I’m afraid might slip under the radar of fantasy fans. That would be too bad–it deserves some attention.– Super Doomed Planet

5* - As I’ve come to expect from publishers Unsung Stories, Pseudotooth is a unique read! And one I have no hesitation in recommending for those who enjoy sci-fi/fantasy/dystopian novels.– Jera's Jamboree

[Pseudotooth] is a remarkable achievement for young writer Verity Holloway and a quality addition to the Unsung catalogue.– Contemporary Small Press